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Book 2 is going to feel empty without you. But I wish you well in book 3. I will be here for a long while yet. I'm only half way through.

I know I tend to post a lot and keep this thread on page one but I'll still post here even when I'm officially finished with 2. This thread has been my home base since I've been on pianoworld, I really like it. And thanks for the congrats !

Way to go Waltz! That's a big achievement no doubt! Ask me, I quit L2 some 6 or 7 years ago as I just hit a wall... However, I didn't have a teacher for L2, I did for L1. Now, I feel with this forum, I might be able to pull it off and finish L2 before end of year. But you are great for dong it all non stop. More power to you.

Thanks MIM! You will achieve it now, I believe, whenever you wish. You are obviously a talented player, and I will listen to all recordings you post avec plaisir

Congrats!! Well done, now get on over here to #3. Actually I've had a rough 2-3wks (work) so my initial start to #3 was stalled, not going as good as I'd like, will be nice to have some familiar faces around....

Thanks TTigg ! Yea, it seems like ages ago that you and Undone left for the book 3 thread. Sorry about work being tough right now, that is never fun and piano is very time consuming. There are a few things (such as recording CiD lol) that I feel I should do before moving over to your thread, but I probably will by this time next week. Nice hearing from you and thanks again.

Undone, I took a peek at L3 and I didn't like what I saw! Some pieces look deceptively simple by the few notes appearing on the page, but I know for sure they are not easy to play. I dabbled with Star Spangled Banner 4 years ago, and I thought it was a beautiful piece to play, but it was very hard getting left and right to cooperate on that. I also spent some time on Fur Elise and was only able to do about one page, and quit after seeing the left hand acrobatic stuff... . But that's why we should learn these pieces..to get good at more advanced pieces. I think you are good, and I'm sure you'll pull it off in no time. I can't wait to get there though.

Congratulations Waltz. See you in the book 3 thread (where you will soon find that the work required by Canon in D was just a warm up).

Undone

Thanks Undone, and I will certainly see you in the B.3 thread, where I will probably keep the thread on page one daily lol. It makes me shudder to think that Canon in D is going to soon become the common difficulty of the pieces I learn. It's really nice to hear from you again, and thanks for the warning

I recorded Canon in D this morning. It's a far from perfect recording; but I only enough time to try it a few times. I was proud of myself that I kept going and didn't jump back to repeat something I flubbed. (I was pretending it was a true recital).

Overall I'm fairly pleased as I got through it with only a few glaring mistakes and there are a some hesitations. Feedback welcome of course

I wanted to share it with Waltz especially. I have a hard time playing this song perfectly from end to end. It takes me about 3.5 minutes to play this song - even over multiple recordings! I was surprised it was so consistent.

I was thinking of submitting Canon in D for the recital. I have a question though:

Does that mean I can't post it here first? Do I have to "keep it a secret" until August 15th? Seems like a long time to go without feedback, as I will have certainly moved on by that time. . .

If anyone can help me I would appreciate it, I don't really know all of the E-recital rules.

No it's all good. First of all, the percentage of people who visit this thread (compared against the whole mess of folks on the ABF forum) is pretty low. Let's face it, there are only 10 or so of us posting regularly on this thread, plus maybe a few lurkers. If numbers hold to form, there will be around 80 recital submissions. Heck, the number of people on the ABF forum this very instant is 94, so the vast majority of people who hear your recording on or after August 15 will do so for the first time.

Secondly, this sort of thing happens all the time. Heck, if I had an acceptable recording of my recital piece, I'd already have posted it on my blog, and asked for feedback. As it is, I'm going to need every bit of the next two weeks to get it together.

The recital is actually pretty laid back, I must say. I think the main no-no is to take someone else's recording and claim it as your own.

Wow, I actually enjoyed listening to this Nancy. Good job. I hope I can play anywhere near that when I get to it in a few months!

Thank you!

I think it's good for me to hear myself play and I can mark all the hesitation points to work on. Top of page 3 I had quite a few. I've been working on getting rid of a few (like right at the end of the song, before the last note - there's usually a hesitation there, and I have managed to mostly squash it).

I recorded Canon in D this morning. It's a far from perfect recording; but I only enough time to try it a few times. I was proud of myself that I kept going and didn't jump back to repeat something I flubbed. (I was pretending it was a true recital).

Overall I'm fairly pleased as I got through it with only a few glaring mistakes and there are a some hesitations. Feedback welcome of course

I wanted to share it with Waltz especially. I have a hard time playing this song perfectly from end to end. It takes me about 3.5 minutes to play this song - even over multiple recordings! I was surprised it was so consistent.

Sounded great to me, and very similar to how I play it! I, personally, feel relieved that, since we both play it similarly, we both probably play it correctly. This is especially true at the ending, with the 16th notes thrown in, I was somewhat worried, but not anymore. I will try to make a recording soon, to share, but I would like to submit it for the recital also, so I hope I don't violate the rules in doing so. I guess I could make a second recording if I they forced me to.

Great job again! I wouldn't worry about the hesitations: they are slight and actually fit in nicely with this piece, and if there were other mistakes, they went without me noticing.

One major thing done exceptionally in your playing is control. The tempo is solid throughout and feels very much under your command.

I was thinking of submitting Canon in D for the recital. I have a question though:

Does that mean I can't post it here first? Do I have to "keep it a secret" until August 15th? Seems like a long time to go without feedback, as I will have certainly moved on by that time. . .

If anyone can help me I would appreciate it, I don't really know all of the E-recital rules.

No it's all good. First of all, the percentage of people who visit this thread (compared against the whole mess of folks on the ABF forum) is pretty low. Let's face it, there are only 10 or so of us posting regularly on this thread, plus maybe a few lurkers. If numbers hold to form, there will be around 80 recital submissions. Heck, the number of people on the ABF forum this very instant is 94, so the vast majority of people who hear your recording on or after August 15 will do so for the first time.

Secondly, this sort of thing happens all the time. Heck, if I had an acceptable recording of my recital piece, I'd already have posted it on my blog, and asked for feedback. As it is, I'm going to need every bit of the next two weeks to get it together.

The recital is actually pretty laid back, I must say. I think the main no-no is to take someone else's recording and claim it as your own.

Thanks AWTPP, that's nice to know . I'll probably post the recording soon then. I may make a second recording for the recital regardless, maybe throw a twist in it or something lol.

Sounded great to me, and very similar to how I play it! I, personally, feel relieved that, since we both play it similarly, we both probably play it correctly. This is especially true at the ending, with the 16th notes thrown in, I was somewhat worried, but not anymore. I will try to make a recording soon, to share, but I would like to submit it for the recital also, so I hope I don't violate the rules in doing so. I guess I could make a second recording if I they forced me to.

Great job again! I wouldn't worry about the hesitations: they are slight and actually fit in nicely with this piece, and if there were other mistakes, they went without me noticing.

One major thing done exceptionally in your playing is control. The tempo is solid throughout and feels very much under your command.

Waltz, I switched to the basic for this song only after I heard here played by Z32. It sounds much better on the piano with good pedalling, but when it goes out on MIDI, it sounds cheap!

Anyone has any tips for recording directly from the keyboard to the computer through the sound card? My understanding is that you get a cable with two plug inserts on one end that go into the L and R sound outlets in the back of the keyboard, and the other end goes directly on the sound card. Then, I'm supposed to find some software that will do the recording. Has anyone tried that?

To record from the piano directly, I have no idea!! I have a large mixer I can use with the microphone, but do I need that?

To do it on the piano with the camera, I have no idea either! I imagine that there is some kind of software, which takes video input from the camera and sound from a microphone, mix, and sync all within? Enough rambling...

I played faster with the camera recording; I didn't control the tempo well during recording and I knew it while playing. Also, there are some notes played poorly, which I don't like. But, I think it's an all right overall. However, I am going to make a second recording mid-way through next week, which will be my recital piece. I will certainly put much more effort in that recording, and I'll post it here, I guess, on August 15th.

I played faster with the camera recording; I didn't control the tempo well during recording and I knew it while playing. Also, there are some notes played poorly, which I don't like. But, I think it's an all right overall. However, I am going to make a second recording mid-way through next week, which will be my recital piece. I will certainly put much more effort in that recording, and I'll post it here, I guess, on August 15th.

Thanks,

Bravo!!!!!! You played that really well. I didn't notice any notes played poorly at all. Hardly any hesitation at all (unlike mine *grin*); and tempo wise, I'd say that at the end you were speeding up instead of slowing down as indicated in the music. Overall speed wise - as a comparision - I played it much slower (it took me 3.5 mins, it took you 2.5 mins); I'm not sure if I should speed up, or you should slow down, or maybe a bit of both?

Great job! You've surpassed me in this song - I guess I should go practice some more now

I played faster with the camera recording; I didn't control the tempo well during recording and I knew it while playing. Also, there are some notes played poorly, which I don't like. But, I think it's an all right overall. However, I am going to make a second recording mid-way through next week, which will be my recital piece. I will certainly put much more effort in that recording, and I'll post it here, I guess, on August 15th.

Thanks,

Bravo!!!!!! You played that really well. I didn't notice any notes played poorly at all. Hardly any hesitation at all (unlike mine *grin*); and tempo wise, I'd say that at the end you were speeding up instead of slowing down as indicated in the music. Overall speed wise - as a comparision - I played it much slower (it took me 3.5 mins, it took you 2.5 mins); I'm not sure if I should speed up, or you should slow down, or maybe a bit of both?

Great job! You've surpassed me in this song - I guess I should go practice some more now

Thanks Nancy, it made me feel really nice to read that post

I think either of out speeds could be correct. In that recording I am definitely playing on the quicker end of the spectrum, and I will try to slow it down a bit. I think your speed is fine too, and I like it more than I do mine, but it's more a matter of personal preference than necessity, because, again, I think we're both within an acceptable range of tempos for the piece. On youtube Canon in D performances on piano, you'll find similar variations in tempo. And come on, you know I have not surpassed you; you may hesitate here and there but you keep it under great control; yet I speed up at the end! The speeding at the end is probably nerves, you know, I really don't want to make a silly error and have to restart from the beginning (for that recording I really did not make that many attempts, thank goodness). Neither of us is "perfect", but we both do fine jobs at playing it, and we are both ready for book 3 I think.

Speaking of Book 3, I nearly gave myself the pass earlier today on the first piece. Relative to DB and CiD, it is rather easy, but entertaining to play.

I was thinking of submitting Canon in D for the recital. I have a question though:

Does that mean I can't post it here first? Do I have to "keep it a secret" until August 15th? Seems like a long time to go without feedback, as I will have certainly moved on by that time. . .

If anyone can help me I would appreciate it, I don't really know all of the E-recital rules.

Waltz - nice version of the "Canon in D" - please don't hesitate to submit it to the upcoming Recital - the only major Recital rule is that it must be a piece that you personally played and should involve the piano/keyboard to some extent - people have often "tried out" a piece in a thread (especially the Monthly Piano Bars) before submitting it to the Recital - I might be doing this myself - some have even re-submitted an "improved" piece that they submitted to the Recital before - many more people will hear it there and you'll get lots of positive feedback - and some critical feedback and suggestions (but only if you specifically request this) - see you in Book 3!

Regards, JF

_________________________
Every difficulty slurred over will be a ghost to disturb your repose later on. Frederic Chopin

I was thinking of submitting Canon in D for the recital. I have a question though:

Does that mean I can't post it here first? Do I have to "keep it a secret" until August 15th? Seems like a long time to go without feedback, as I will have certainly moved on by that time. . .

If anyone can help me I would appreciate it, I don't really know all of the E-recital rules.

Waltz - nice version of the "Canon in D" - please don't hesitate to submit it to the upcoming Recital - the only major Recital rule is that it must be a piece that you personally played and should involve the piano/keyboard to some extent - people have often "tried out" a piece in a thread (especially the Monthly Piano Bars) before submitting it to the Recital - I might be doing this myself - some have even re-submitted an "improved" piece that they submitted to the Recital before - many more people will hear it there and you'll get lots of positive feedback - and some critical feedback and suggestions (but only if you specifically request this) - see you in Book 3!

Regards, JF

Thanks JF. I will be submitting this to the upcoming recital. I'm excited about it, my first one. I think I will rerecord this either tomorrow or Tuesday, and try to slow it down.

I actually passed the first Book 3 piece, Super Special Sorta Song (alliteration overkill) this morning and have started the Calypso Rhumba this morning. Neither seem too difficult, but I'm sure the heat will be on soon enough.

I'll see you in the Book 3 thread as soon as I have finished all my work with Canon in D, I'm still working hard on my ability to "control" the piece as I play it, and it's taking lots of my practice time. See you there soon

Good to hear that Book 3 is not very intimidating thus far for you Waltz. That's encouraging for me.

I am actually spending a LARGE portion of my time on Canon in D still, and will be until probably Thursday, then I will shift my energy completely into Book 3. Hang in there Music in Me, and keep making recordings; it's a way to stay motivated and have something tangible while moving forward. On which piece are you now working?